The problem is not exclusive to the United States with the BBC reporting a total of 33 incidents last year alone.

Australia has also had its own problems with drones after a drone was detected over Goulburn jail in December last year.

A spokesman for the NSW Department of Corrective Services said an officer in a tower saw the drone 100 metres above the main part of the prison.

“The officer moved out of the tower along the catwalk towards the drone, which flew away from the prison until it was no longer visible. Officers searched the prison and nothing was found,” he told the ABC.

Corrective Services Minister David Elliott said the events did not come as a surprise.

“Technology is getting better, prisoners are getting access and the criminal element is getting access to that technology,” he said.

Mr Elliot said in 2015 there were six cases of drones flying over prisons in NSW alone.

“That is six too many. I need the authority to make sure the community knows this is an illegal activity and I need the authority to make sure prison operators know that they can act within the law,” he said.

Despite these alarming cases, research associate at the Urban Institute Bryce Peterson said the issue was under control for the time being.

“I would say it’s definitely not that widespread a problem right now,” he toldVox.

“But it certainly seems like, down the road, this is something that could become a huge problem.”

However, Mr Peterson admits he could be wrong, because his comments are based on the cases brought to the public attention.

“It’s really hard to say how often it’s happening, because most facilities don’t have adequate systems to stop drones from coming in yet,” he said.

“So the only times you get a report are when people see a drone flying around or if it crashes.”